Vatican City — The coffin of Pope Francis has arrived at St Peter’s Basilica, where he will lie in state until his funeral on Saturday, marking the beginning of several days of solemn public mourning in the heart of the Catholic Church.

Tens of thousands of mourners have been descending upon Vatican City since Easter Monday, when the Holy Father passed away peacefully at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke. His passing away was described by those who were present as “discreet” and “without long waits .”

The late pontiff’s coffin was transferred early Wednesday morning from his residence at Casa Santa Marta—where he had lived throughout his papacy—to St Peter’s Basilica. The procession began with a brief prayer service led by Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the private chapel where Pope Francis had lain in repose. “Let us thank the Lord for countless gifts that he bestowed on the Christian people through His servant Pope Francis,” the Camerlengo prayed. “Let us ask him in his mercy and kindness to grant the late Pope an eternal home in the kingdom of heaven.”

The solemn procession passed through Piazza Santa Marta and Piazza dei Protomartiri Romani, entered St. Peter’s Square through the Arch of the Bells, and made its way through the central doors of the Basilica, now transformed into a sacred space of mourning.

Inside St Peter’s, the faithful gathered for a special Liturgy of the Word presided over by Cardinal Farrell. Psalm 22—“The Lord is my Shepherd”—was recited, along with the litany of saints and traditional Catholic prayers for the dead. The service concluded with the Marian Antiphon, a prayer to Mary, the Mother of God.

Faithful gather in prayer at the edge of St. Peter's Square during the Rosary for the late Pope Francis on Tuesday evening Image Credit: CNA

The public viewing began immediately after the liturgy, with thousands lining up to pay their final respects to the Holy Father. His body, resting in an open coffin, will remain on display for three days inside the basilica. Visiting hours are Wednesday until midnight, Thursday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.

On Tuesday evening, under a fading Roman sky, a poignant moment of prayer unfolded in St. Peter’s Square as Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, led a public Rosary for the soul of Pope Francis. Gathered around were religious sisters, clergy, and lay faithful from across the globe, united in prayer and remembrance. Cardinal Re reminded the crowd: “Death is not a door that closes, but rather the entrance to the heavenly Jerusalem, where mourning is turned into dancing and the garment of grief into a robe of joy.”

As the Church prays and the world mourns, preparations are underway for Saturday’s funeral. Dignitaries expected to attend include former U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Labour leader Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William, representing his father, King Charles.

Pope Francis will be laid to rest at the Basilica of St Mary Major, breaking from tradition to become the first pope since Leo XIII in 1903 to be buried outside the Vatican.

Throughout his 12-year pontificate, Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for mercy, inclusion, and the care of the poor. In his final public messages, he repeatedly asked: “Please, don’t forget to pray for me.” Now, in this final chapter, the world honors that request with a global outpouring of prayer and love.